


Constellation

by islasands



Series: Three in a Bed and No-one Said [3]
Category: Adam Lambert (Musician)
Genre: Love Triangle, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-17
Updated: 2011-07-17
Packaged: 2017-10-21 11:36:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/islasands/pseuds/islasands





	Constellation

Their new house was overflowing with people. They were there for Kezia’s birthday celebration but the birthday girl was nowhere to be seen. No-one was surprised, least of all Wake, who alone, out of all their families and friends, had come to know her well. In part this was because he himself shared many of Kezia’s anti-social traits, in part because he knew very well why Adam loved her. Why wouldn’t he know, when at one time he and Adam had been lovers.

He watched Adam mixing with the guests. He seemed his usual gregarious self but there was something else. He has a secret, Wake thought. He has a secret life that none of these people can touch. Which is what I always wanted. He must have changed. Adam suddenly turned and looked across the room to meet his eyes. To his utter confusion Wake blushed. He hadn’t blushed in years. My God, is he a mind reader, Wake thought, turning his back and strolling casually out into the sun shine. If he is, he added ruefully, then it is most assuredly a newly acquired attribute. He shuddered slightly, as though shaking off an unwanted memory.

He looked at the pool and its occupants. He listened to the general smatterings of chatter.  He looked across to the hills, hazy with sunshine and realized his eyes were smarting. Clearly Adam had found Kezia at a time when he was ready for her.He remembered the conversation they’d had when mutually deciding it would be better to be friends. He had been angry. He had said hurtful things.

_“You know what? You’re so busy wanting to be loved, wanting everyone to love you, approve of you, that you ignore the obvious. You never stand still long enough to find out who does. Truly does.”_

_“I don’t think that’s fair. Or true.” Adam was more than annoyed. Wake’s words had stung. He loathed vanity, in himself and in others. He decided to return the venomous favour._

_“Just because your idea of love is to live in an inhospitable climate and constantly grapple with the elements, doesn’t mean I have to agree with it. I don’t. I don’t want isolation._ You _do.”_

Wake sighed, facing the fact that he still missed Adam badly. Well, Kezia had clearly changed Adam’s tune. His private life was like a fortress. It showed in his eyes. They still betrayed his loner proclivities, still showed his enjoyment of the hunt, but up back of his gaze something was settled and decided. He was no longer available. He had a home on the ledge of a rock, and Kezia was his mate. Crazy, sociopathic, Kezia with her odd smile, her bell-like laughter, her habit of drifting away from conversations and then returning with a totally unrelated fact. He did like her. And those two were perfect partners in music’s crime.

Wake was not aware that two sets of eyes had been watching him closely. Kezia, from an upstairs balcony, guitar in her arms, was looking down at him, and Adam had paused in his conversation to watch Wake leaving the room.

The last of the party-goers had left. Kezia had reappeared in time to release three fire lanterns into the sky, in lieu of a birthday cake. "My birthday constellation," she had said, just before Adam sang happy birthday to her.

‘Not you,” Kezia said when he made to leave. “Please stay. I want to talk.” They went outside. He watched as she stripped off and dived into the pool. He looked around, wondering where Adam was.

 “In here,” Kezia called out. “I talk better in water.”

Wake hesitated but curiosity got the better of him. He undressed and climbed into the pool. They swam for a while, laughing and splashing. Then they paused at one end of the pool, their arms on the stone flags.

“I want to ask you something strange. Well, it’s not strange to me,” Kezia began.

“You can ask me anything,” Wake said cautiously.

“I like the way you talk. You don’t put outfits on your speech. Some people do. They dress up language like it was one of those little poodles.” Kezia glanced at him. Wake smiled. Why was she nervous?

Kezia waved her hand in the gap of water that lay between them. “Do you love Adam?” she asked.

Wake was staggered. “Well, of course I do. But not. I mean, -“

“No. Don’t do that. Do you still love him. Yes or no.” Kezia stared at him. It would be pointless to lie.

“Yes,” he admitted. “Yes, but I am fully reconciled...” But Kezia was smiling. She flicked water at his face.

“And you like me.,” she laughed. “I already know that!”

Wake joined in her laughter but wasn’t sure why.

“Now. Here is my question. Don’t think about the answer. Just make it.” Kezia took a deep breath. “If you love Adam, and you like me, would you marry us?” No sooner had she asked the question than she laid a cautionary finger on his lips.

“Wait,” she said. “Listen. He loves you. He _loves_ you.”

Wake broke through the guard of her finger tips, “How can you say that. For fuck’s sake, he‘s married to you. God, are you two unhappy? I can’t believe that.”

Kezia’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. “Of course he loves me. Who could change that? I have his Kezia  love. All of it. I always will. But he loves you for you. Please don’t judge!”

Wake was astonished in turn. Judge? He wasn’t judging. He was trying to beat down the flapping of wings in his chest when she said Adam loved him.

“Are you telling me you guys have some kind of open marriage? Because if you are.”

“I asked if you would marry us. Not come and go for sex.” Kezia said sadly. “I wish I could explain. Adam could do better. But he said it needed to be me who asked first or else you might run.” She suddenly turned and dived and re-emerged on the other side of the pool. Wake glided over to her.

He was shocked. She was in tears. ‘I can’t love him the way you do,” she said. “I make music, and I fit him into it. He likes that. I do too. But I like how he is with you. It pleases me.”

Wake felt dizzy as though he had hyperventilated. Before he could stop himself he had taken Kezia in his arms. “Then I will. I want to.” he said. Why not, he thought. I love these people. I’m tired of being so careful. I don’t want to turn pale with caution from living under a rock.”

Kezia scrabbled to get out of the pool. She couldn’t get out fast enough. She ran ahead of Wake, dripping all over the carpets, running down some stairs into their studio where Adam was asleep on on an armchair.

“He said yes,” she shook his arm. “Wake up!” 

Wake stood in the doorway. He couldn’t help smiling at the pair of them. Adam gradually focused on him.

“He said yes, “ Kezia announced again, hands on her hips. She went over to Wake and drew him over to Adam.  “Kiss him,” she said, the way a child would. “No, not in here,” she added as Wake took Adam’s outstretched hand. “I’m busy. And I don’t want to be interrupted.”


End file.
